Back in May, I made a Summer Fun List of things I wanted to do to make summer feel like summer. This weekend, I crossed off another item: going to a Phillies game!
My husband and I took our two older boys to Citizens Bank Park on Friday night. The weather was absolutely perfect. Just a little warm, a slight breeze, all clear as the sun set over the city. It was “Christmas in July” night and so we saw actual reindeer near the entrance! Alas, the Braves clobbered the Phillies 9-2, so hopefully, if I put this on the summer fun list again in future years, the outcome will be different.
We’re coming up on the end of July and I’ve made reasonable progress on my list. We went strawberry picking and to member night at the zoo. My husband and I went to Asbury Park’s beer garden during our week at the Jersey shore. We ate at Aquavit back in June; French Laundry is on the schedule for late August. We ate ice cream at Days in Ocean Grove many, many times. We have gone on a few family bike rides, though I haven’t done any solo. I have, however, gone swimming solo! Usually it’s just a quick lunch break thing, but it’s definitely fun to go in the pool and not worry about anyone but myself.
I’m making my way through the list of kids for Mommy Days. My daughter and I went to the American Girl cafe in NYC a few weeks ago; I’ll be doing the 9-year-old’s day this week. I have plans for the other two’s days in August. We went to the Phillies this weekend.
What I haven’t done yet: Listen to music outdoors! However, we have tickets to see Brad Paisley in early September, so I will just figure summer is stretching into back-to-school season. (We will also go to the fireworks and fountains show at Longwood Gardens at the beginning of September). We haven’t hiked in Yosemite yet, but that’s on the calendar for August.
As for editing my novel? Eh. I’ve done nothing. But at least I can confirm that I am “keeping all other professional expectations low.” Talk about an easy aspiration to hit!
I know this is the time of year when those “summer isn’t almost over!” posts start to accumulate. But I like to remind myself that for me, at least, summer is no where close to over. There are 31 days in August and two bonus days in September before the kids start school. And then the weather doesn’t change instantly. I’m looking forward to a few summery things before the equinox.
We go back to school in 16 days and I literally told my daughter “SUMMER IS OVER” today. By that I meant more that we need to get back into our morning routines and start moving up bedtime. She also has to start practicing piano regularly after a 4 week break. I wish we didn’t start until after Labor Day but we’ve been out since before Memorial Day and we’ve had a great summer. My other daughter is at girl scout camp this week so I want to focus on helping the older one who takes a bit longer to acclimate to new routines (and is also more screen dependent). We are also doing a major cleaning/purging of her room and setting up her homework station and going through all her clothes. Then next week I can focus on the younger one.
Thanks for sharing! The seasonal fun list and quarterly goals (and their progress updates) are some of my favorite posts.
I’ve made good progress on mine as well. Beach trip- check- trip to the Cape last weekend
Live music outside- I’ve managed this a couple times thanks to lots of local free outdoor music over the summer
Dining al fresco with my husband- hasn’t happened yet, but we scored tickets to an outdoor food fest tonight, so I think that counts!
Annual trip to NH with the kids for Storyland/Santa’s Village – check! This trip accomplished our lake trip as well
Ice cream at Crescent Ridge, a local farm where you can visit with the cows- check!
Pick up dinner at the taco shack and eat on the beach- check!
Visit to Castle Island for a walk and one of their famous hot dogs – an August to do
Pretty good progress so far…
@Lori C – this is very good progress! Nice work!
Thank you for saying Summer isn’t’ over yet! Our vacation is next week, and school starts for us Aug 21, but there is still tons of time left to have some more summer fun. My kids 6&2 go to daycare full time all year round, so we don’t have a lot of evening/morning routines to change to “get back in the swing” and I don’t want to give up any swimming time we have before closing the pool in September.
I didn’t have a summer fun list this year, so no real update, but we have gone for shave ice, and ice cream, caught fire flies, pool days, bike rides, new playgrounds, arts festivals, the state fair, farm trip, zoo trip, and more I’m sure that I’m forgetting.
@Julie G – so many fun things! And yes, August 21 means there’s still three weeks to go!